By Mark Lovett
Since PASPA was overturned, sports betting rapidly expanded across the country. As of now, only 11 states — including California — have not legalized any form of sports betting. Meanwhile, 38 states and Washington D.C. have online and in-person sportsbooks and are bringing in billions of dollars in bets.
Gambling has become more accessible than ever, which has led to issues for some states. Let’s look at where and why.
How Gambling Problems Are Measured
There are a lot of factors that go into ranking which states have the highest rates of high-risk gambling. Studies use a combination of metrics like:
- Gaming machines per capita
- Lottery ticket sales vs. population
- Gambling-related arrests (if any)
- Percentage of residents with reported gambling addiction
- Availability of treatment programs and other resources
All of these numbers come together to help researchers get a full understanding of what’s going on in each state.
Top Three States For Problem Gambling
While most people bet casually, some states report higher levels of gambling-related problems than others, and we’re going to take a look at the top-ranking ones below.
1. Nevada
Nevada consistently comes in at the top of lists like these, with as many as 2.7% residents dealing with problem gaming. Gambling has always been legal in Nevada and is deeply embedded in the state’s economy; the state is home to the most gaming machines per capita in the world and has more than 400 casinos. Because gambling is inseparable from the very fabric of Nevada, it’s no surprise there are high reports of gambling problems.
With that said, Nevada has a lot of support in place for residents and transplants who may be struggling, with a 24-hour helpline and multiple treatment centers and programs available throughout the state.
2. Delaware
Despite being one of the smallest states, Delaware is big on gambling. It was one of the first states to jump on the legal betting bandwagon and now is home to tons of options including sports betting, online casinos, and lottery games. Delaware ranks high in gambling activity per capita, particularly in lottery sales and online gaming, especially casino games.
Delaware also has dedicated resources for treatment and prevention. Plus, Delaware also maintains strong data tracking, which provides invaluable research for studies measuring problem gambling.
3. New Jersey
Known for bringing down the nationwide ban on gambling, New Jersey is one of the leading states for online sports betting and casino play. Atlantic City is often referred to as the Vegas of the East Coast and mobile betting is broadly available.
Participation in betting shot up in New Jersey in 2018, and spikes in participation can also lead to spikes in problems. To combat the rise of problem gambling in the state, New Jersey has invested heavily in awareness campaigns and treatment access, with a goal of keeping things balanced.
Why Certain States Struggle More
Sometimes, appearances are deceiving. For example, some states have higher problem gambling rates because of access and advertising. Increased access and endorsement usually also encourages increased activity for better or worse. States like Nevada, New Jersey, and Delaware have had gambling in place for years (decades even). As a result, the infrastructure and cultural acceptance are already in place.
In some cases, though, higher rankings just means more outreach and better data, not necessarily higher risk. States that invest in problematic gambling prevention and intervention rank higher simply because there is more information available from these same regions.
Conclusion
From all the data we can see, higher problem gambling rates are correlation, not causation. Nevada, Delaware, and New Jersey are among the top states when it comes to gambling — so, they tend to report higher rates of gambling-related issues. Access to gambling can lead to more participation and, in turn, more instances where problems may arise. But more importantly, it shows how tracking and support systems play a key role in identifying concerns, offering help, and collecting meaningful data.
There are 38 states with established betting industries and as sports betting keeps growing, more problems can arise. Understanding where problems arise in key states — and their response — can help foster responsible growth across the industry.
About the Author: Mark is a tenured writer for NewsWatch, focusing on technology and emerging trends. Mark gives readers insight into how tomorrow’s innovations will transform our relationship with technology in everyday life.
